Amourshipping Week 2017 Stories
by PurimPopoie
Summary: A series of vignettes based around Tumblr's Amourshipping Week celebration in 2017! Join Ash and Serena through different stages of their journey and relationship, and even worlds beyond!
1. Fireworks

**Welcome to my stories for Amourshipping Week 2017! We're getting started right off the bat here in 2017, and there will be a different short story each day this week! I hope you look forward to these fun little vignettes! The first theme is Fireworks!**

* * *

"There."

Serena sat down her hairbrush, satisfied that her brushing had brought out one-hundred percent of her cuteness. She gently placed her red fedora on her head and stood up from in front of the mirror in Bonnie's room. All she needed to do was to put on her jacket and she would be ready.

It had been a few weeks since Serena and her friends encountered Team Flare, the dangerous criminal syndicate that threatened to destroy not only the Kalos Region, but the world itself. Through the efforts of the Legendary Pokémon Zygarde, they had saved everyone. But it wasn't without cost. While the world was saved, Bonnie still had to say goodbye to her sweet little Squishy, and there was massive damage on a scale that went into the hundreds of millions. And no place was hit harder than Lumiose City.

But humans and Pokémon both are resilient, and by working together (as well as a government probe that ended up taking all of the terrorist Lysandre's money for the recovery effort), Lumiose City was finally well upon the road to recovery. To celebrate, a festival was being held around the first time Prism Tower, the most well-known symbol of Kalos, would be lit since the attacks.

It wasn't this festival that weighed on Serena's mind, however. It was a certain young man from Pallet Town. " _I'm thinking of going back to Kanto. Back to Pallet Town, to start over. I mean completely, like start from the ground up."_ In the back of her mind, Serena always knew that Ash would one day talk about leaving Kalos and going back home, but she didn't think it would be quite so soon… and she still hadn't told him how she really felt about him, either.

She looked back at the mirror and straightened the blue ribbon she wore, a gift from Ash himself. Well, this festival would change all of that. It would be tonight that Serena would finally confess her love to Ash. In doing so, maybe she could find some path to follow for herself, since she was currently at a loss as to where she would be going from here. And so, she nodded at her reflection, mentally telling herself to 'go for broke' and closed the door as she left the room.

* * *

"Ah, man! I'm so excited for this festival, guys!" Ash said as the quartet walked down the streets of Lumiose. "There's gonna be so much food to eat, and so many games to play! It'll be just like the festivals back home!"

"Pikachu!" chimed in the yellow Pokémon who served as Ash's constant companion.

Serena found herself giggling. "You're always looking for your next meal, aren't you Ash?"

He winked at her and gave her a thumbs up. "You know it! I'm always happy to eat anything, especially if it's delicious!"

Clemont, the blonde inventor, chuckled. "Well, don't eat too much… it'd be a shame if you got sick on a ride…"

Ash turned and gave him a thumbs up, too. "Got it! We'll be careful, won't we, Pikachu?"

"Pikapika!"

Bonnie, Clemont's younger sister, walked from behind Serena to next to her, holding her hands behind her back. "Well, Serena?" she asked. "What're you looking forward to tonight?"

The Pokémon Performer swallowed. "W-Well, I think it'll be great to spend time with my very best friends! After all, we've all been so busy helping with the recovery effort, I kinda feel like we haven't spent much time together…!"

Bonnie smirked. "Riiiight, of course, Serena…" She grabbed the older girl's hand and pulled her down. "I know you want a little time to yourself with Ash, you know. You don't gotta hide it."

Serena's face lit up brightly. "W-what?" She could only stammer as Bonnie tightened the screws.

"C'mon! Ash is going back to Kanto soon! Don't you wanna tell him how you really feel?"

Serena swallowed her fear once more. There was no use denying it when she was already fully aware that Bonnie knew the truth of her feelings. "W-Well… how can we get Ash alone…?" she asked.

Bonnie nodded. "You just leave that to me!"

Clemont finally paused his walking and turned to the girls. "What're you two whispering about over there?" he asked.

Bonnie let Serena go and ran out in front of the group. "Oh, it's no big deal, Clemont! I was just telling Serena that I see so many girls here who can be great Keepers for you!"

Clemont froze, a single bead of sweat slipping down his cheek. "B-Bonnie…! Wait, you don't-!"

But his plea was too late, and the young girl was already racing ahead and going down on a knee to propose to a woman walking down the street. "You're a Keeper! Won't you please take care of my nerdy brother?"

"BONNIE!"

Ash and Serena could only chuckle to themselves at it happened, once again, and the blonde siblings disappeared into the crowd. "You think they'll be alright?" Ash asked.

Serena shrugged. "I think so. I mean, this isn't the first time, right?"

Ash laughed. "Yeah, I guess not."

Serena clapped her hands together. She was alone with Ash. This was an opportunity she couldn't let pass her by. "So, since they seem the tiniest bit busy, why don't we enjoy the festival by ourselves?"

Ash nodded and pumped his fist. "Right! That's a great idea, Serena! Let's have some fun!" He reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her along with him as he ran through the crowd, the blushing Serena holding her fedora to her head so she wouldn't lose it.

' _I can't let this chance slip by. I have to confess to Ash tonight.'_

After turning down a few streets, Ash brought Serena and himself to a group of stalls, each playing games. They were all the typical games you'd see at festivals like this: lot drawing, bean bag tossing, a board that you dropped a chip down, among others. "Oh man, look at this!" Ash said, pointing out a booth with a huge tank of water in front.

Serena watched with interest as another person played the game. They took what looked like a paddle made out of paper and skimmed it through the water, trying to pick up the Goldeen that were swimming around. This person got a Goldeen, but the paddle broke, and Goldeen slipped right on through it.

"Sorry, next player!" the barker shouted as the young man dropped the paddle and walked back into the crowd. But before Serena could even comment, Ash was already up at the tank, looking at the Goldeen.

"Ah, man! They had this game at just about every festival I went to in Kanto, right buddy?" he said, turning to his partner.

"Pikachu!"

"Can I play next?" he asked.

The man shrugged. "Sure, I don't see why not. Just make sure not to break the paddle, or you lose."

Ash took the paddle from the man. "Got it! I'm not gonna back down from this challenge!" And he immediately went to work, kneeling before the tank and trying to scoop up a Goldeen with it."

Serena sighed. ' _Well… maybe while he's distracted with this game, I can psych myself up!_ ' She looked at Ash, who was having a good time, despite struggling. ' _He always gives his best, even at something silly like this… it's no wonder I like him so much. There's no one in the world like Ash….'_

Just as she thought that, Ash brought the paddle up, and the Goldeen he was scooping broke through the paper and fell through. "Aw, man."

She sighed. ' _Yeah, there's no one in the world like Ash…'_ Taking a step forward, she kneeled down next to him. "How about I try next, Ash? I think it needs just the tiniest bit of a gentle touch."

Ash looked at her, puzzled for a moment. "Yeah, I think so too. And you're the gentlest person I know." He smiled at her. "Alright, show me how it's done!"

Serena nodded and scooted closer, taking the paddle from the barker. She took a deep breath and focused on her movement, wanting to move swiftly but gracefully, with a touch of elegance. She deftly slipped the scoop through the water, catching a Goldeen under it, lifting it out of the water very carefully. She tilted the scoop into the barker's lap, and the Goldeen slid down onto him. He looked at her. "Wow, miss! You're good at this game!"

She giggled. "Thank you very much!" she said with a bow.

The man reached into his pocket. "Here, the prize for winning is a ticket to a ride somewhere else at the festival." He looked at the tickets he tore out. "Looks like it's two for the Ferris Wheel. You and your boyfriend can have a great time!"

Serena's face once more resembled a tomato, and steam escaped from her ears. "Buh-Buh-Buh Boyfriend? D-Don't you think that's…?"

"Hey, Serena!" said Ash, already standing and not paying the conversation any mind. "Do you smell that? It smells like corn dogs! C'mon, we gotta go get some right now!"

Serena stood up. "But, Ash-!"

"C'mon, it's this way!" he said, waving to her as he began rushing ahead. Serena sighed and began chasing after him to the next part of the festival where Ash would stop.

It wasn't very far, but Ash _was_ following his nose, so Serena didn't think he would go very far. There was a huge food truck stopped in the road, with a crowd of people all standing around, eating the various treats the truck provided.

Ash's grin couldn't have grown wider as he perused the menu. Funnel cakes, hamburgers, cotton candy, and of course, his beloved corn dogs. "I'm gonna get two!"

"Pika!"

"You're right! Let's get three!"

"Pikachu!"

Serena sighed as she followed behind the glutton and the Pokémon who also seemed to only think with his stomach. ' _It's like I'm getting a front-row seat to Ash at his least behaved and least charming…'_ she thought. But she looked at the grin on his face as he ordered his three corndogs (one for Pikachu, of course), and she felt her irritation melting. Even when Ash was being childish, he was still Ash, and that zeal for life was yet another reason she found herself falling for him more and more as they traveled around Kalos together.

"Hey, Serena!"

Ash's words broke her trance. "Uh, yeah? What's up, Ash?"

He pushed a fluffy pink confection her way. "I know you like sweets, so I got you some cotton candy. D'ya want it?"

His somewhat blunt thoughtfulness made her heart melt. "Y-yes, thank you Ash," she said, gratefully taking the candy away from him. She took a small bite, and it tasted sweeter than any cotton candy she'd ever tasted had the right to. Probably because it came from Ash, himself. "Hey, Ash?" she looked at him as he was finishing chomping down on his corn dogs. "The prize from the game I won back there was two tickets to the Ferris Wheel. Did you want to go?"

"Do I?!" Ash almost jumped. "We could probably see the whole city from the top! I bet it'd look totally awesome! Yeah, let's go!"

Serena smiled. Finally, things were going according to plan tonight. She'd confess her feelings for Ash yet!

The two of them (plus Pikachu) approached the Ferris Wheel's operator and handed him the tickets Serena won, and he gestured them into the next gondola. Serena and Ash both climbed inside, and the door was shut behind them, and the wheel started to turn.

"Oh, man. This is so cool, isn't it?"

"Pika~!"

Serena was more than excited to be in such close quarters with the boy she had a crush on, but a tinge of nerves were also affecting her. ' _I can't just say it… I have to build up to it. This is going to be a moment I remember for the rest of my life, after all…'_ But for all her thoughts of bravery, she couldn't manage to say anything to interrupt Ash and Pikachu's commentary as the wheel turned until it stopped with the two of them at the top. Serena shook her head. _'I'm letting it slip away! I have to say something!'_ "Hey, Ash?"

Ash turned from the window to the girl. "What's up, Serena?"

She suddenly felt shy, and she knew her cheeks were bright pink. "Ash, I just… wanted to say that I've really enjoyed being on this journey with you. Even if it's just about to end, it's been an incredible experience for me. And I wanted to say thank you for that…"

Ash smiled gently and nodded. "I should thank you, too. We grew a lot during our time in Kalos," he said, scratching Pikachu behind the head. "I mean, who'd have guessed I'd run into so many amazing people and Pokémon? Who'd have guessed that I'd get wrapped up in the Bond Phenomenon with Greninja? It was a great time, for sure!"

Serena felt the conversation slipping away. "T-There's more I wanted to say, though," she stuttered. "I… I wanted to say-"

There was suddenly a smash, and pieces of glass fell out as a robot arm broke in and grabbed Pikachu off of Ash's shoulder.

"Pikapi!"

"Wait, what?! Pikachu?!" Ash tried to reach through the hole. "Pikachu! Who are you? And why are you grabbing Pikachu?!"

"If you have to ask, you should prepare for trouble!"

"Our answers will come on the double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, dat's right!"

Serena could hardly believe it. Her romantic moment with Ash was being ruined by _Team Rocket_. She almost cried.

"Give Pikachu back right now!" Ash shouted.

Jessie laughed. "Please, you're a pickled little twerp stuck in a jar."

"With our extendable arm, we'll go far!" James added.

"We're raisin' da Pikachu stealin' bar!"

"You better just give Pikachu back and leave right now!" Serena said, standing up from her seat herself. "I was about to say something!"

Jessie and James looked at the upstart twerpette, blinking. "Wait a second, there is a distinct lack of twerps here," the woman said.

James nodded. "I'd say we're down to about half."

Meowth cocked an eyebrow. "So it's just da twerp and twerpette, huh…?"

The three rockets looked at each other, smug grins growing. Serena felt her face heating up, and she knew she had to nip this in the bud. She pulled out her Poké Ball and opened it up towards the hole, sending out her Pokémon, Braixen to the top of another gondola. The Fire-Type brandished her stick quickly. "Braixen, use Flamethrower!"

"Brai-xen!" Jumping upwards, the Fox Pokémon swung her stick forward like a wand, and unleashed a stream of flame from it towards the balloon. The flames engulfed Team Rocket for a moment before passing, covering the people and Meowth in a fine ashy char.

"Greninja, Water Shuriken!" Ash shouted, releasing Greninja through the hole in the gondola as well. The Ninja Pokémon appeared next to Braixen, and after giving her a familiar nod, reached towards his legs, where he drew his Water Shuriken from before tossing them at Team Rocket's balloon. The Shuriken shot through quickly, puncturing the balloon and sending Team Rocket wizzing away as their balloon lost all of its hot air. The convulsion of the balloon caused Meowth to drop the sphere containing Pikachu, which began falling to earth.

"We're blasting off again!" the trio shouted, flying away.

"Pikapi!"

"Greninja, grab Pikachu!" Ash shouted.

The Water-and-Dark-Type complied, leaping down and diving quickly to catch the sphere in his arms before he landed safely, Pikachu in his arms. "Ja!"

"Awesome! Great work, Greninja!" Ash cheered as the wheel shuddered back to life after the attack, and Ash and Serena's gondola started to descend.

Serena recalled Braixen, but she could only look on at Ash in admiration. He could go from a childish boy, oohing and ahhing at every little twinkling light all the way to a strong, determined young man who would do whatever he could to protect those he cared about, and it all changed like flipping a switch. Ash was always himself, and he was always amazing, no matter what.

She felt her heart racing as she looked at him, a smile growing on her shy lips. Was there any wonder she loved him so?

"Serena? Are you feeling okay?" Ash asked, staring at her from across the gondola.

She shook her head. "I'm fine. Thank you, Ash." She punctuated her sentence with a giggle.

Ash himself leaned back, and smiled. "Good. I wouldn't want this to ruin all the fun we've had tonight. Thanks for such a great time, Serena."

She blushed even harder. "You're welcome Ash! Any time!"

There was one more matter to attend to. It was time for the actual lighting of the Prism Tower, the event the festival was held to celebrate to begin with. Crowds of people gathered all around the tower, and Meyer (Clemont's father), with the help from the newly reborn Clembot as well as Clemont himself, was preparing to light the tower up for all of Lumiose to see.

Ash and Serena stood next to each other when the switch was finally flipped, and the tower lit up for all of Kalos – all of the world – to see. And then, the sky lit up, too. Filled up with fireworks of a dazzling array of colors.

Serena looked at Ash, and saw the fireworks reflecting off his eyes. This was it. This was the moment she was waiting for all night. She had to take the risk. She had to go for broke.

She leaned in and whispered to him.

"I love you."

She leaned back and tried to gauge Ash's reaction.

He looked back at her and smiled. And then he leaned in close to her.

"I know," he said. "I love fireworks, too."

Serena felt her face turn entirely pink. She looked at him, to see the honest joy emanating from his eyes. She laughed at herself internally. He must have misheard her. But looking at him, even so… Serena couldn't be mad. This was just Ash being Ash.

And she loved Ash. With all her heart.


	2. Letters

**Day 2's theme is Letters!**

* * *

"And that's when I said, 'Don't worry about the mess, I'll have it clean in a seconDunsparce!'"

Lana beamed as she carried Popplio, satisfied with the joke, but Mallow looked completely put off by the pun. Bounsweet, seated on Mallow's shoulder, shared her expression "You heard that from the principal, didn't you?" A nod from the fisherwoman confirmed the chef's suspicions.

"Hey guys?" Lillie said, waving the other two girls to a stop, stopping just outside the classroom inside Melemele Island's Pokémon School. "Is he alright?"

All three girls poked their heads in through the doorway to see what Lillie was talking about (though Lillie herself had already noted it). Sitting at his desk, scribbling on a sheet of paper, was Ash. Pikachu was sitting on the desk, overlooking whatever the boy was writing, and Rotom hovered overhead, more confused than anything. It was Mallow that decided to break the silence. "Alola, Ash! What're you doing here? We didn't get any homework today."

Ash looked up and saw the girls in the doorway. He gave them a relaxed smile. "Alola. Sorry. I just figured that since I was already here at this desk, I'd try writing here instead of at the professor's house."

The girls entered the room and began surrounding Ash, their curiosity piqued. Lillie spoke up, leaning in (though keeping her distance somewhat to avoid touching Pikachu), "What are you writing, if I may ask?"

"It's a letter," Ash explained. "I want to write a letter to a friend of mine, to tell her how I'm doing in Alola since I got here."

"Her?" Mallow and Lana spoke up simultaneously. Lana was the one who continued this thread. "So there's a girl you're writing to, Ash? Is she back home in Kanto?"

Ash shook his head. "Nah, she's in Hoenn right now. But she's from the Kalos Region. That's where I journeyed just before I came here."

All three girls looked at each other. "She must be important…" Mallow said, her suspicions rising.

"It's not helping him write the letter any," Rotom said, slumping as it hovered overhead. "He's been starting and restarting it for the past twenty minutes." Pikachu chimed in, agreeing.

Ash scratched the top of his head, pushing his hat aside for a moment. "I can't help it. Writing this letter is way harder than I thought it'd be. Every time I try to write something, I look at it and I feel like the words come out all wrong."

"Maybe we can help," Lana offered, stepping forward with Popplio, with the Sea Lion Pokémon offering an additional bark and clap. "Can we see what you have so far?"

"Sure," Ash said, holding up the letter for them all to read:

 _Dear Serena,_

 _How are you? I'm studying Pokémon in Alola right now! They're really great! I even caught an Alolan Pokémon already, called Rowlet! I hope you're doing great in Hoenn! The Contests sure are fun, aren't they? Have a great trip!_

 _Ash_

"It really wasn't much," Rotom noted.

"I know," Ash groaned. "This letter isn't good at all…"

"I'll say," Mallow quipped.

"But perhaps we can assist you with a rewrite?" Lillie said, taking the letter from Ash. "Why don't we start from the beginning? Perhaps you can describe her a little for us, so we know what Miss Serena is like?"

Ash leaned back, humming to himself for a moment. "Serena… Well…" He wrinkled his brow and scratched his cheek. "Well, the first thing you gotta know is that Serena is really kind. She cares a whole lot about all her friends and Pokémon. She's always doing nice things like baking treats or helping them clean up. She worries a lot, too, especially about people like me who're always getting into trouble, eheh…" At that thought, he laughed at himself.

Lana looked at Popplio, grinning. "Well, from what we've seen, you do have a thing for getting in trouble, Ash. Anyone would worry about you."

"Arf, arf!" Popplio confirmed.

"She's also super-talented. She's a Pokémon Performer, so she's always putting on amazing performances that make you wanna say 'Wow!' or 'Amazing!'"

"Oh, I read about those in a book once!" Lillie said. "They're female Pokémon Trainers that put on shows called Performances in the Kalos Region! They participate in performance tournaments called Pokémon Showcases!"

Mallow leaned closer. "Do you think you could be one?"

Lillie backed up, nervously laughing. "I think I'd need a reason a bit more logically sound to touch a Pokémon than that…"

"And speaking of treats," Ash continued, "her cooking's amazing! The sweets she makes are the best I've ever eaten!"

"I bet even I could learn something from a Kalosian cook," Mallow said. "It'd be great if I could learn some Kalosian cuisine for the menu at our restaurant."

Ash looked at the girls standing around him. "But the most important thing about Serena is that she never gives up, not 'til it's over. Serena struggled a lot with what she wanted to do, and with the Pokémon Showcases that we went to during my time in Kalos, but no matter what, she kept going. Serena's really strong…"

"Most important information about Serena: updated," Rotom said, taking a picture of the excitement all over Ash's face as he described her.

Mallow scratched her chin. She was definitely getting a feeling that there was something else going on between Ash and this 'Serena', but she really didn't know enough about what happened between them. She pulled Lana and Lillie back into a huddle. "So Ash really thinks a lot about this Serena girl…" she whispered.

"You don't think they were dating, do you?" Lana asked.

"I don't believe so. The letter was far too plain to suggest that," Lillie said, before realizing that Bounsweet was right next to her, on Mallow's shoulder. Lillie immediately froze and shot backwards, tripping over Ash's desk and collapsing on the ground, bringing the desk down with her as her wide-brimmed hat flipped off her head.

"Lillie!" Ash rose to his feet. "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine," she protested, a blush of embarrassment on her cheeks as she stood up. "I was just… caught off-guard by Bounsweet."

"We're not really getting anywhere," Lana said, turning her attention back to Ash. "Can you tell us more about her? Maybe some of the things that happened with you two?"

Ash pulled his desk back up. "Sure, I can do that." He hummed to himself. "Well, there was that one time she pretended to be me." All the girls raised an eyebrow and looked to Ash, waiting on his elaboration. "Y'see, I got really sick from some late-night training one day, and so while some of our other friends went to get me medicine, Serena stayed to make sure I was okay since I couldn't exactly move. But then this guy came by and wanted to battle me. Since I couldn't battle, and since he wouldn't leave unless he got a battle, Serena battled him in my place. She wore my clothes and pretended to be me and everything."

"S-She wore you clothes?" Lillie asked, eyes going wide.

Lana smirked. "Well, hopefully she didn't get sick from wearing your clothes too much."

Mallow sighed. "Well, did you two ever spend time alone together?" she asked.

Ash shrugged, not sure how this was related to the question of helping him write the letter. "Well, there were a few times. Mostly I had Pikachu with me, or we were with our other friends. There was one time we went off shopping together."

"That's what I'm talking about," Mallow said, energized as she came closer. "What sort of things did you do? Was there dinner or anything?"

Ash shrugged, noncommittal. "Well, Team Rocket attacked us. But I mean, I guess in the middle of getting gifts for our Pokémon, I gave her a gift, myself."

"A gift? What was it?" Lana's nosiness only grew more interested.

"It was a ribbon."

The blue-haired girl sighed, like the air had been let out of one of Popplio's balloons. "Just a ribbon?"

Ash grinned, nodding. "Yeah. It was the same color as her eyes, and she even started wearing it around shortly after that!"

The girls immediately looked at each other. "The same color as her eyes, huh?" Mallow said, as if her suspicions were correct.

"But what are you trying to convey to her?" Lillie spoke up. "It's obvious that you two are close, but if she's not with you right now, there must be a reason for it."

"I said she was in Hoenn, right?" Ash said. "She went there to become a better performer. She's going to study hard and become even stronger than before. I just want to make sure she knows I'm still cheering her on, and that she should never give up on reaching her dreams!" As he spoke, is voice was overcome with a passion that made his eyes sparkle, and he clinched his hand into a fist.

"So the short of it is, you miss her," Lana said bluntly. "And you want to let her know that."

Ash shrugged. "I guess so." He scratched his head again. "Man, this all seems so complicated. How do you write a letter to the girl that kissed you without messing it up?"

Mallow, Lana, Lillie, and Rotom all froze in second-hand embarrassment. "She kissed you?!" The four of them shouted at once.

"Does not compute… does not compute…" said Rotom, its displaying static.

Ash nodded, looking at the three of them, confused. "Yeah. Right on the lips. It felt really nice, but now whenever I try to think about writing something Serena'll see, I get nervous for some reason."

"It's because you really like her, right?" Mallow asked. "You don't want to spoil the memory of that kiss she gave you."

Ash paused, thinking over it for a bit. "Yeah, I guess so. I mean… she said we'd meet again someday, and I don't want to make her not want to see me again by saying something wrong, I guess."

The three girls let out a sigh of relief. "So it's a crush on this Serena that's making Ash struggle to write this letter," Lillie said. "I've read about that before, too…"

"A crush on Serena?" Ash repeated the words as if he was chewing on them, trying to figure out their taste. "I mean... I'm not acting like another one of my friends did, but I guess I've been thinking about Serena a lot..." He looked at the piece of paper again. "I just want to make her happy with this letter. That's why I'm having such a hard time."

Mallow leaned in, putting an elbow on Ash's shoulder. "Don't worry, Ash. We're here to help you write that letter! We'll make sure Serena really enjoys reading it!" Lana and Lillie nodded in concert with her.

"Really?" Ash asked excitedly. "Thanks, you guys!"

* * *

Sitting at the desk in the loft of Professor Kukui's house, Ash decided to give the letter one more read through right before he went to bed that night. The envelope was already prepared, stamp and all, and Ash would leave it in the mailbox in the morning.

But even after getting the help from his friends, he wanted to make sure it captured exactly what he wanted Serena to hear.

 _Alola Serena! (They say Alola as a greeting here!)_

 _How's the Hoenn region? I hope you're on a ton of fun adventures out there! Have you caught any new Pokémon or made any new friends? I just know you're giving it your all and getting even stronger than you were in Kalos!_

 _I'm studying Pokémon in the Alola Region right now! They're really great! I even caught an Alolan Pokémon already, called Rowlet! I've also made a bunch of new friends here at the Pokémon School! I'm sure that with their help, I'll get stronger, too! We're both going to keep racing to our dreams!_

 _I wanted to say, though, that you're already really strong, even if you don't think so. Think about all the great stuff you've already done! I dunno if it's hard for you in Hoenn or not, but I know you'll use everything you learned on our journey together, and everything you're learning in Hoenn, and you won't let anything stop you! Not until it's over!_

 _I know we probably won't see each other again for a while, but maybe we can keep writing letters. I don't wanna lose track of you over time, especially since you promised me that we'd meet up again someday. I want you to know that._

 _Good luck, Serena! Go for broke!_

 _With love,_

 _Ash_

Ash puzzled for a moment longer. The girls insisted that he sign it 'with love', but he didn't quite get it. As long as Serena enjoyed the letter and she wrote back, though, it'd be okay.

He gently folded the letter back up and slid it in the envelope.


	3. Royalty

**Day 3's Theme is Royalty! It takes place in an AU, so sorry if there's not really enough development for the story... it feels like the start of something longer.**

* * *

The sounds of hooves beating against the path filled the ears of the princess as she fled. She held tightly to the grey-colored horse, a gift from her royal parents. She loved this horse as much as it were family. And now, it might be the only family Princess Serena of Kalos may have left.

For almost twenty years, the Kingdom of Kalos had an uneasy peace with one of its neighbors, the Kantonese Empire. It was through a network of trade alliances did the small kingdom manage to deter invasion from the much stronger nation that desired its land and power. However, things seemed to be changing for the two nations, as the new Emperor of Kanto, Ryu Wataru, seemed to desire a closer connection to the other nations, and organized a peace summit. Eager to make friends of potential foes, Serena's parents, the King and Queen of Kalos went to the summit with the best of intentions in their hearts, and brought their daughter with them.

If only everyone's intentions in that summit were so pure… Wataru betrayed the trust of those gathered, and had all of them summarily killed. It was all Serena could do to escape the bloodshed and leave astride her horse. She would return to the capital of Kalos as quickly as she could, raise an army, call on her allies, do everything in her power to save Kalos from subjugdation, to restore the honor and glory of her family.

It's with these thoughts swirling in her head that we come across the wayward princess, fleeing from the scene that claimed the lives of her parents, fleeing in fear and powerlessness as she tries to find her way out of the forest surrounding the town where the summit was held.

The thunder of galloping hooves continues as Serena clutches tightly to her horse, her long, honey-blonde hair flapping as she rides as fast as she can, her white dress already torn and dirty from charging through the brush on horseback. All she knows is that she must escape with her life.

But fate seemed to have other plans.

As she rounded a turn past a clearing, she saw two torches lit in the dark, held by two individuals whose faces were obscured by masks. Serena recognized them, of course. They were ninja – elite soldiers of Kanto who followed the Emperor's word as law, and they were known across the world as assassins and spies. She tried to pull the reigns, bring her horse to a halt, but her horse resisted, rearing back and tossing the princess from its back before it charged off into the dark of night.

Serena looked up, and the ninja were closer now. The moved very quickly. One of them began to speak, but it was a tongue unfamiliar to her ears. The language of Kanto. She had studied it, of course, though not extensively. She swallowed, her fears starting to creep up as the ninja who spoke approached.

"Ore Satoshi," he said, extending a hand as he approached her. She flinched, even though the ninja stopped in his tracks as he spoke. Not hearing any approach, she opened her eyes and saw the ninja taking off his mask.

Underneath the mask was the face of a young man who must have been her age. Two zig-zag scars on his cheeks caught her attention first, but then she saw the bright, intelligent brown eyes he had as he looked her over. He shook his head and wild black hair and continued. "My name…" he hesitated, speaking in the language of Kalos. "My name is Satoshi."

The lessons in the Kantonese language came back to her. 'Ore' meant 'I'. A rather forward 'I', but still. Was he… introducing himself to her?

She shook her head and tried her best to speak his language. "[My name is Serena.]"

There was visible relief on his face. Clearly he wasn't as versed in her language as he was in his. "[Oh, good... that's a relief…]"

"[Serena, huh?]" The other ninja asked as he approached. "[Wasn't that the name of the girl we were supposed to be looking for?]"

Serena once again recoiled, and she found herself backing away from Satoshi and his companion, tracking through the dirt.

"[Her? Nah, it can't be,]" Satoshi said, shrugging. He looked back at her, and their eyes met. Satoshi saw the fear in her, and he frowned, his own eyes returning a look of pity to the girl.

"[Look at the dress! And that long, golden hair! She has to be the princess of Kalos! She even knows how to speak our language. Is that something a commoner would just know?]"

Serena stood and tried to escape, but the masked ninja threw a four-pointed shuriken at the edge of her dress, pinning it to the ground, causing her to fall face first back into the dirt.

"[Hey!]" Satoshi took a step forward, between his companion and the girl. "[Kinpei! What are you doing? She's helpless!]"

"[Satoshi, the Emperor's word is law," Kinpei responded. "[And if you won't end the last of the Royalty of Kalos, then I will.]" Kinpei drew a short blade from his side, and Serena flinched as it glinted in the moonlight, pulling at her dress to tear it away from the shuriken.

Satoshi grabbed Kinpei by the back of his gi and yanked him backwards. "[This girl doesn't have to die! Just because the emperor ordered it, doesn't make it right!]"

Kinpei grabbed Satoshi's arm and yanked on it, freeing himself from the other ninja's grasp. "[You! What are you saying? Why are you saying that?]"

Satoshi took stepped around, placing himself between Serena and Kinpei. "[She's innocent. And I won't let an innocent suffer, no matter what you or the Emperor want!]"

Kinpei's eyes focused sharply on Satoshi. "[Then, I have two targets to eliminate.]" Coldly, he brandished his blade and sliced at Satoshi. Satoshi stepped back, barely stepping out of range of the short sword Kinpei wielded. He pulled two kunai out of his pockets and held them up defensively.

Kinpei began to circle around, holding his sword up, angled at Satoshi. Satoshi moved likewise, keeping his back to the girl on the ground. The two ninja circled each other for only a moment or two before Kinpei and Satoshi leapt at each other, swinging their weapons at each other.

Serena heard the sound of tearing clothes and ripping flesh, but in the pale moonlight, couldn't see who had won the exchange.

Satoshi fell to a knee, breathing roughly. Serena's voice caught in her throat as she reached out towards him. But then, Kinpei choked, and he felt a burning sensation at his side. He placed a hand there, and then raised it.

He saw his hand, stained with blood.

And in that moment of hesitation, Satoshi quickly spun around and flung the kunai with such force that it embedded itself in the back of Kinpei's head. The other ninja fell to the ground, limp and silent.

Serena herself fell silent at the gruesome display that just unfolded before her. Looking back at Satoshi, she noticed the gash on his arm, the blood flowing freely from the wound as he placed his hand on it. "[S-Sir, please, hold on]!" she struggled out. Standing as her dressed ripped from the shuriken, she rushed over to him and grabbed his arm, causing him to flinch from the pain.

"[It's alright,]" he said, forcing a smile. "[I just couldn't let him hurt you… you didn't do anything wrong…]"

Serena tugged at her torn dress and ripped a piece off of it. Taking it to Satoshi's arm, she began binding it, like a bandage for the wound. "[Thank you… for saving my life,]" she said, tugging the cloth tight. "[I thought that you were going to…]"

Satoshi put a hand on her head and ruffled her hair. "[I guess I can't stand bullies, even if they're my own people.]" He smiled and flexed his arm. "[Thank you. It still kinda hurts, but this'll hold until I can have it looked at.]"

"[Where are you going?]" she asked him. "[With your partner dead, there's no way you can go back to the Emperor, right?]"

Satoshi frowned. "[Well, you're the only other witness. I could go back…]" But it wasn't an idea he liked very much. "[But he'd just make me do that stuff again, right?]" He punched into his open palm. "[It's decided then!]"

Serena looked at Satoshi, an eyebrow raised. "[What's decided?]"

Satoshi turned to her. "[I will be coming with you, Princess of Kalos!]" he declared joyfully. At that moment, he dropped down to one knee, to kneel before her.

Serena quickly grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to his feet. "[N-No! You can't. Why are you doing that? I'm not your liege!]"

Satoshi shrugged. "[Why not? You have to get home, right? And you seem like you're in need of a bodyguard… And I kinda need a new liege…]"

Serena felt her face turning redder and redder in the dim light. "[I-I mean, you can come along, but is… is it really what you want to do?]"

Satoshi nodded. "[If I can help you, after what my Emperor has done to your family… I think I'd rest easier. I can't stand it when evil doesn't get punished, you know?]"

"[But you'd be fighting your countrymen!]" Serena explained. "[The people who you knew! To fight with a stranger! Doesn't that make you hesitate a little?]"

Satoshi smirked, something of the bloodlust a ninja would need coming out of his eyes. "[I think it'll be a great challenge. And I never back down from a challenge, and I never give up until the end, either! That's the way I live my life!]"

Serena looked at this young man, his fiery determination blazing forth under the calm moonlight. He looked no more like a silent killer, but a strong guardian. The princess' heart began to race.

"[Then we'll return to Kalos together,]" she said. "[But it'll be hard to slip by places unnoticed….]

Satoshi looked at the body of Kinpei. "[We could just use his clothes, you know? He's not going to be using them anymore.]"

Serena swallowed, the thought of wearing a dead-man's clothes not filling her with the utmost confidence. "[Th-then… you'll have to disrobe him. I-I couldn't… I mean…!]"

Satoshi laughed. "[It's alright. I'll handle that part. Just uh, go hide behind a tree or something…]"

It took a few moments, but Satoshi disrobed his victim and then presented the clothes to Princess Serena, who then shooed him away so that she could change without exposing herself.

She stepped back in the clearing, dressed in Kinpei's gi, though the gash on the stomach was still there, exposing the Princess' belly button to the elements, but she tried to pay it no mind. "[I will simply have to repair these robes when we have time. But we have to hurry back to Kalos. They will need to know of my survival and-]" As she walked forward, Satoshi grabbed her by her long hair, yanking her to a halt.

"[This isn't gonna work,]" he said. "[You can't even hide that under the mask, m'lady.]"

Serena's cheeks lit up. "[J-Just, Serena is fine, Sir Satoshi.]"

This made him laugh. "[Just Satoshi is fine.]"

This made Serena laugh as well. The two of them shared a laugh unburdened by worry for a few moments, before the princess realized she was having a little too much fun with her new guard. ["A-Anyway,]" she replied, growing slightly more flustered. "[I can handle my hair… may I borrow one of your weapons?]"

Satoshi blinked and handed her one of the kunai he used to fight Kinpei earlier. Taking the blade behind her head, she grabbed her hair in her other hand, and then, grunting as she pulled, roughly cut through her hair, leaving the uneven edges around her neck. "[This will work better, right?]"

["Right!"]Satoshi nodded, a smile on his lips. "[It looks really good on you, Serena. Let's head out. To Kalos.]"

Serena nodded, and the two dashed off into the darkness, heading toward Serena's homeland.


	4. Kiss

**Today's Amourshipping Day! And for such a day, we have a special theme: Kiss! We all know how XY &Z Ended, right...?**

* * *

Ash Ketchum frowned. He never hesitated right? Then why was this door intimidating him so much?

"Pikapi…?"

He knew why. Behind this door was his house. And in his house? His _wife_.

They hadn't been married long, and there was still a part of Ash that was getting used to the idea of being in love, much less being married. But things were always changing, even when they didn't seem like it. He wasn't ten years old anymore, that's for sure. But even he knew that being married meant a new responsibility to be there for each other. A responsibility that he fumbled when it came to defending his title as Champion of Kanto.

And so there he was, Ash Ketchum, world renowned hero, the strongest trainer in Kanto, a Pokémon Master, frozen by fear because he wasn't sure how his new wife would take him coming home late.

"I don't have anything to fear, right?" he asked, looking at the familiar sight of his partner, the Electric-Type Pikachu. "I mean… Serena never gets mad at me, and I'm sure she can understand being a little late. I bet she caught the battle on TV and she's still awaken even."

He said all of this in front of a small house with absolutely zero lights on. Not even one over the door, as if she was awaiting Ash's return. Pikachu gave Ash a look as if to say, 'you know her better than I do.'

He checked his watch. "23:50," it reads. Ten minutes until midnight. He groans again.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu said, nudging Ash with his head.

"I know, I know… might as well face the music." Resigned to his fate and quickly trying to formulate an apology in his head, Ash opened the door to his house and stepped inside.

It was a clear night, the full-moon shining overhead. Even without a light on, it was fairly easy to see inside the room, the ethereal glow of moonlight still shining in the living room of the Ketchum house. But Ash's eyes were drawn to the couch. There, sleeping, a blanket swaddled around her, was Serena. The room was eerily silent, the sounds of the Pokémon that lived their lives at night in the wilderness around Pallet Town were the only thing Ash could hear for miles.

Seeing his wife there, asleep, gave Ash mixed emotions. At first, he mentally kicked himself for not being home in time, leaving Serena to fall asleep without him. But he realized quickly that this was a silver lining: Serena probably wouldn't be upset if he comes in and gently wakes her and they go to bed together.

He takes a step in, and the floorboards creak under his weight. Normally, it'd be barely noticeable. But right now? In this almost sacred atmosphere? It felt like he would wake Professor Oak all the way down at his lab. He looked up at Serena, and she was still sleeping sweetly, almost cherub-like.

Ash turned to Pikachu and nodded. The Mouse Pokémon, realizing the added weight probably didn't help matters, leapt off of Ash's shoulder and darted into the house, into the dimly-lit darkness. Ash himself hunkered down on his hands and knees and very slowly began crawling across the floor towards the couch where the woman he married rested, trying his hardest not to disturb her rest. With his weight more evenly distributed, the creaking floorboards aren't as much a problem, and he quietly made his way across the room to where Serena lay.

He sat up and looked at her face. Serena always had a glow about her (as far as Ash could tell, anyway), but the pale moonlight brought out an otherworldly shimmer that made her look even more beautiful than Ash remembered when he left that morning. He began reaching a hand towards her, but he stopped, wanting a few more moments to take in her beauty before he disturbed her slumber.

Starting at the top of her head, Ash first saw the blonde locks as they lay tussled against the couch. They were still short from when Serena cut her hair for the wedding. When he saw her again after so long (she had simply turned up in Pallet Town one day, at his mother's house, saying that she wanted to visit her and see him again), he was surprised that she had grown her hair out once again. He never admitted it, but he preferred her hair short. Perhaps she realized it, and that's why she cut it for the wedding?

Next were her eyes, and though they were shut, Ash remembered her clear, bright blue eyes, like a bright cerulean sky, or a clean running river. They were eyes that reminded Ash of purity, and his youth, a time he spent travelling and adventuring both with her and without her. In the pit of his stomach, he felt a longing to gaze into her eyes once more.

And finally, Ash saw Serena's lips. Her mouth was slightly ajar, her plump lips beckoning him closer. He had seen her lips so many times before, but no time stood out in his mind more than the first time he tasted them.

It was the day he was leaving Kalos, after his journey there had ended. A lot had happened, and he and his friends were saying their goodbyes. Especially rough was saying goodbye to Serena. He knew they were friends from way back, and he knew that he and Serena pushed each other to greater and greater heights. He cared about her a lot, and knew he would always be supporting her, no matter where life took the two of them.

But he had no idea he felt _that_ strongly about her.

When Serena ran up that escalator towards him, he was caught off guard. She said she had one more thing, but she came rushing in close. And then, she grabbed the front of his jacket and pulled him close, and those lips got closer than they ever had. He felt the soft caress of her lips against his, tasted a sweetness in her mouth that lasted only a moment before the moving escalator took the girl away from him. But as the escalator took Serena away from him, she transformed before his eyes. He had always seen Serena as a bright, cheerful girl, but it wasn't a girl that stood before him that day, but a goddess. Serena was stunningly beautiful to him as his mind finally put the last pieces into place, and his actions and feelings suddenly made since. This gorgeous, blushing girl who stood on the escalator as it took her away… he _loved_ her. He had loved her for a long time. The ribbon he gifted her was perhaps the first real proof he had ever offered that he did.

She still wore that ribbon on her chest, even now as it moved with her breathing, the pale moonlight making Serena glow. Ash looked at his bride with joyful eyes. She was even more beautiful now than she was the day of their first kiss.

Ash could feel his desire to feel the warmth of her skin growing, and he raised his hand to gently cup her cheek. She felt as warm as the glow on her skin looked, as if she was emanating love.

"…Ash…" Serena said, a giggle escaping her lips.

Ash froze. He looked at her, but she didn't react further. He smiled to himself. She must have been dreaming. Of him, no doubt.

He grinned. Might as well make both their wishes come true, right?

He leaned in, and pressed his lips against hers. The familiar softness sent a pulse of electricity through him. His other hand finds her other cheek, and he begins to kiss her more fervently. As he does, his mind races into the past. He remembers the cool summer air against his skin on the night Serena reunited with him in Pallet Town. He remembered kissing her after a date to Viridian City, the sounds of the city surrounding him. The look of joy on her face after she kissed him when he invited her to live with him. The smell of breakfast cooking the first morning they kissed after she made her residency in Pallet Town.

His senses were all lost in this myriad of kisses. A kiss for each battle, for each victory, for each defeat. Each kiss tasting as sweet as the last, filling his mouth and life with a sweetness he wasn't even sure existed before then.

Ash pulled back and Serena's eyes fluttered open, their clear, clean gaze fixing on Ash's face. "Ash…? What's gotten into you?" she asks, a giggle on her lips.

He smiles back. "I love you, Serena."

"I love you, too, Ash."

Ash stands, scooping up the woman he loved in his arms. "C'mon," he said, holding the now-blushing Serena close. "Let's head to bed. It's late."


	5. Sweets

**Today's the 5th Day of Amourshipping Week, and the theme is Sweets! It's another AU story, one with the tiniest bit more familiarity, I think.**

* * *

Serena sighed, looking to the door, waiting for anything to happen.

It wasn't near the beginning of the year, when her fellow freshmen would be exploring campus. It wasn't near the end, when public gathering spots were filled with studying students. It wasn't even near midterms.

It was September. It was cold. And it was boring. Serena just wanted anything to happen at this quiet little coffee shop on the Eterna University Campus. She had just clocked on and the girl she replaced, Miette, let her know that all of two people came in during her 6 hour shift.

Serena sighed, hoping for some excitement to arrive at 'The Fluffy Fox', the cozy coffee shop in the library.

"Keep your chin up," said Aria, the shop's manager. "It might be boring, but aren't most work-study assignments?"

"I guess I thought it'd just be the tiniest bit more exciting," Serena replied, slumping over the counter. "I mean, coffee shops on TV are always interesting, right?"

Aria laughed to herself a little. "Maybe you should watch a little less TV, then," she said with a smile. "I'm going to check out and head to my class for now. Think you can handle it for about an hour?"

Serena groaned. "Oh, yeah, totally. The excitement itself might kill me."

Aria laughed again, and grabbed her bag before heading towards the door, leaving Serena alone in the coffee shop. She sighed, brushing her hand through her short hair and looking out the window. The campus was abuzz with the typical 'class change' activity, but it was early afternoon – too close to lunch for many but too late to actually go get lunch.

She eyed her lunchbox and thought about the snickerdoodles she had baked the night before. While they weren't tried-and-true chocolate chip, she wanted something different. She could go for one, and without Aria over her shoulder, she could even whip up a café au lait and not have to pay for it. A devilish grin crossed her face and she turned to the machine to begin pouring her drink.

Just as she turned to begin, however, the door to the coffee shop opened, and the bell rang, causing Serena to spin in place as she broke into a cold sweat, fearing Aria's quick return. However, she saw not the red-haired manager, but a boy with blonde hair and glasses, carrying a stack of biology books. Her eyes followed him as he entered, staggering towards one of the small tables in the establishment. He dropped the books with a 'thump' and looked at the door, causing Serena to look to the door as well.

Stumbling in wearing his cap backwards came a boy Serena knew as Ash Ketchum. Her breath caught in her throat, remembering her first encounter with him. She, like many other freshmen, were caught in the maelstrom that was move-in day. Her mother was uselessly trying to fight the crowds that were all fighting their way up the stairs, and Serena sighed, leaning next to the school-approved mini-fridge she was allowed to move into her dormitory. It was then that she encountered Ash, who looked her up and down before offering to help her carry the fridge to her room. Serena graciously accepted the offer, and Ash turned his hat backwards and lifted the fridge in both arms before charging forward, making his own way through the crowd. And then he came back down, like his strength was inexhaustible, and helped her carry just about everything else back up to her room. But before she could thank him properly and ask his name, he disappeared. She later saw him helping move in someone else, so she figured he was just being nice. But the image of Ash carrying her things up the stairs stuck with her.

It surprised her when she found herself sitting in the same class as him during the week. She and Ash had the same class for "Introduction to Biology". Ash proudly proclaimed that he was going to be a vet-tech, but Serena hadn't decided what she wanted to do yet, so she was just taking a bunch of prereqs to get them out of the way.

Connecting her thoughts with reality, she realized that Ash was here following the blonde boy because he was struggling in the class. His supposed tutor looked like he was the same age as he was (and thus, Serena's age, too). That explained the stack of biology books, including the text Serena had bought for the class.

Ash, however, didn't seem to notice her as he entered. "See? What'd I tell you, Clemont? This place deserted. There won't be any distractions, I promise!"

Clemont, as the blonde boy was named, adjusted his glasses, perusing the barista and the small coffee shop. "Yes, this looks like it'll suit our purposes quite nicely!"

Ash thumbed over his shoulder. "I'll get us some drinks. What'd you like?"

"Earl grey tea," he responded. "Hot."

"Got it," Ash nodded, turning back to the stunned Serena. He wrinkled his nose at her a little, working his brain to recognize her. It dawned on him, and he smiled. "Hey! You're that girl I helped move in, right? It's nice to see you again!"

Serena nodded. "It's uh, nice to see you again, too. You uh, know we're in Bio together, right?"

Ash laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, sorry. I guess I get so focused on class, I don't even see anyone else there. You're uh…"

"Serena," she filled in with him. "Serena Gabena. It's only three names before yours in the roll call."

Clemont silently raised an eyebrow at that admission.

"Oh, right," Ash said, chuckling a little. "Sorry. Guess I really do need help focusing."

Clemont spoke up here. "Maybe that'd be for the best," he said. "You are failing that class right now, right?"

Ash could only keep laughing nervously. "Well, that's why you're helping me out, right, Clemont?"

Clemont nodded. "Well, we are roommates…"

Ash turned back around to Serena. "Anyway, can I get a… uh, what was it?"

"Earl Grey," Clemont groaned. "Hot."

"Right! That! Oh, and a hot chocolate for me! With lots of marshmallows and whipped cream! Can you do a cherry on top?" Ash began craning his neck around, looking at the equipment.

"I can do that," she said. "So it's Ash and Clemont, right? I'll have to write the names on the cups."

"Right!" Ash said, flexing his arm. Serena couldn't help but giggle. He was acting pretty immature, but it was refreshing in a way, with everyone trying to act so grown up.

"I'll get it in a jiffy, so don't worry!" she said.

"I'm not worried," he said. "I've never actually seen anyone do this kinda thing before, so I was just gonna watch, you know?"

Serena felt her cheeks heat up. "Y-You were just going to watch me?"

"Yeah," Ash said with a shrug. "What's the problem?"

"The problem is that you're supposed to be studying," Clemont said, raising his voice.

Ash smiled sheepishly. "Well, sorry, Serena. I better hit the books."

Serena smiled through her blush. "D-don't worry. I'll bring your drinks to you. Go and study, Ash."

"Thanks!" And with that, he turned back to Clemont and sat down at the table, cracking open his text book as Clemont began explaining cellular structure.

Serena went to work preparing the drinks. She takes the cups and writes the names on them absently, thinking about how funny and charming Ash seemed. His bright brown eyes also caught her imagination, and she found herself staring at the back of his head at his wild, black hair and the cap he was wearing. She idly wondered if he looked even more handsome without his hat.

And at that moment, Serena realized just how badly she had it for Ash. She looked at the cup in her hand. On it, after Ash's name, was a tiny heart, and Serena paled. Could she serve him his drink in a cup with a heart on it?

She frowned. Why was she getting all self-conscious for? This was college, a new opportunity for a new start. If this harmless flirting didn't go anywhere, then that's okay. And if it did…?

Serena gave the hot chocolate a generous amount of whipping topping over the marshmallows, but there weren't any cherries to go on top. What could she do to make this even better…?

Her mind went back to the snickerdoodles in her lunch box. A perfect way to show off.

Placing Ash's hot chocolate (and Clemont's tea) as well as her snickerdoodles on a tray, she walked out from behind the counter and carried them over to the table where Clemont and Ash were studying. Ash was focused, but the wrinkles on his forehead betrayed the struggle he was faced with. Hearing Serena approach, he turned and took the tray from her. "Thanks!" he said, before pausing at the sight of the cookies. "Hey, uh, I didn't order any cookies…"

"Don't worry about it!" Serena said. "These are actually cookies I made myself, so they aren't even on sale here. I thought you could just a snack with your drinks, is all!"

Clemont eyed her suspiciously, this unsubtle method of flirting not fooling him. Ash, however, was easily fooled. "Aw, thanks Serena!" he said, another toothy grin on his face.

"It's no problem!" she giggled as she returned to the counter, eager to watch Ash's reaction to the cookies.

Ash took the snickerdoodle out of the bag and quickly popped it in his mouth whole, chewing it thoroughly. "Oh, man! This is awesome!" he said loudly, though only Serena and Clemont were around to hear it. "You wanna try one, Clemont?"

Sighing, Clemont flipped the page in the text book. "No thank you, Ash… shouldn't we be talking about how the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell?"

Ash obliviously continued to munch on Serena's cookies as the girl watched. She felt her face lighting up like a candle, pleased as punch that Ash was enjoying her cookies. The boy looked back at his blonde-haired, bespectacled friend. "Oh, right," he muttered, putting the rest of the cookies down. He picked up his cocoa and took a loud sip of it before taking a look at the side. "Hey, Clemont! Check it out! She put a little heart after my name!"

At the mention of her bold action, Serena's face turned red and she began hiding behind the machinery.

"Ash, please," Clemont pleaded. "Please, just pay attention. You need to focus if you're going to pass…"

Ash waved off his concern. "I've got it, don't worry. Lemme just handle this real quick!"

Serena stood up, letting out a whine. "W-what…?" she whispered to herself.

Ash took a scrap of paper and began scrawling something on it. He then stood and walked toward the counter. "Hey, Serena!"

Serena flipped around, almost mechanically. "Y-Yes, Ash? What is it?"

Ash handed her a piece of paper. The barista looked down at the scrap, and blinked.

It was a phone number.

He smiled. "Well, uh, I've gotta study for now… a soccer scholarship doesn't pay for itself, but maybe later, we can hang out? Call me when you get off work, okay?"

If you'd have asked her, Serena would say that even her blushes were blushing. She could feel the steam shooting from her ears. "Y-Yeah! Th-Thank you very much!"

With a gentle wave, Ash returned to the table and sat down with Clemont. While he began pouring over the textbook, Serena could feel her soul leaving her body. Today definitely got more exciting than she could ever have hoped.


	6. Reflection

**Today's the 6th day of Amourshipping Week, and the theme is Reflection. The last theme may end up BREAKing the pattern, though...**

* * *

Serena sat in the lobby of the Pokémon Center, quietly brushing Sylveon's fur. Whenever she was feeling despondent, she usually retreated into calming activities, like baking, sewing, or grooming herself or her Pokémon. And did she need to calm down.

She had participated in her second Contest in the Hoenn Region. And the results of it were the same as the first; she made it through the Appeal Round of the contest fairly easily, mostly relying on the same sort of things she did in Kalos during her Showcases. And then, she'd find herself outmatched in the Battle Round, unable to battle effectively, and she would lose.

She sighed. ' _How did Ash make it look so easy?'_

Ash… it was a name she missed hearing more often. Truthfully, she missed all of her friends, but it was the pride of Pallet Town himself that helped Serena through her harder struggles, like the mental struggle like the one she was faced with now. She had tried practicing battling after her first somewhat-humiliating defeat in Hoenn's Contest Halls, but it didn't seem like it had made any difference at all. Was she not practicing right? Or enough?

Maybe she was rushing it.

" _I know I have Fennekin_ ," the old conversation she had played in her head, like a forgotten record being played for the first time in ages, _"but I'm not sure what my next step will be."_

" _Gotcha_ ," Ash had said, in that cool evening before his rematch in Santalune City. " _Just take your time and you'll know what to do."_ Ash was always supportive of her going at her own pace, to figure out what she wanted to do, and what she wanted her dream to be. She could always count on him for some advice, or encouragement. She felt like that's what she was missing, more than anything these days.

Sylveon looked up at Serena and wrapped a ribbon around her arm. The Performer had stopped brushing her, causing the Intertwining Pokémon to become concerned about her trainer.

She smiled at the Fairy-Type. "I'm alright, Sylveon. I was just reflecting on things… I'm trying to think of something I can do so we don't end up losing again."

Sylveon tugged on her arm. "Sylveon!" she yipped, as if chiding her.

Another memory took hold.

" _Sometimes I wonder… what is_ my _dream, Ash? What is it that_ I _want?_ " She was kneeling before him, nursing his twisted ankle while they waited for help when the talk turned towards dreams, something the Serena back then still hadn't discovered. She had felt just as lost back then at that Summer Camp as she did now.

" _Don't worry_ ," Ash had reminded her. " _You've got lots of time to figure out your dream._ " It was then that Pikachu and Fennekin had chimed in, with the Fire-Type yipping so much that Serena picked her up and held her close to her chest. Ash then smiled at her, and said " _I bet you'll find your dream with Fennekin!"_

" _I'll find my dream with my Pokémon…"_ she whispered to herself, the passion building up inside her.

Back in the present, Serena smiled at Sylveon. "You're right," she said. "It's not something I should do on my own. We should be finding our way forward as a team. You, me, Braixen, and Pancham, too!"

Serena stood, causing Sylveon to hop from her lap into the floor. She took out her other two Poké Balls and opened them, causing Braixen and Pancham to appear. They both smiled at their trainer.

"Alright, everyone," Serena said, pumping her fists. "We're going to figure this out together. We might not have the battling experience that all of our competitors have, but we have tons of other experiences that we can draw on from our journey with the others!"

It was like she could hear his words again, that conversation again playing in her mind.

" _Nothing we ever do is a waste of time! Everything on our journey leads to the Kalos League. That's why the more stuff we do, the better!"_

" _You're always doing your best… And you've done so much..."_

" _But I'm not done yet! After all, I've gotta make my dream come true!"_

" _And that dream is…?"_

" _To become a Pokémon Master!"_

" _Of course! You really are an amazing person…"_

"Nothing we ever do is a waste! Not all those battles with Team Rocket, or those times looking after Bonnie, or helping Clemont set up for lunch, or watching Ash do all his battles! We have what it takes to win! I just know it!" Serena's voice grew louder and louder as she spoke, cheering onward as her Pokémon listened.

The Performer began to pace back and forth, the nervous energy in her building. Seeing Serena like this made her Pokémon excited as well, and they began to jump and in spin in place. It was as though the defeat her team suffered today was a distant memory now, and they were already looking forward to the next contest.

"It might not be easy," she urged them cautiously. "But nothing worth doing ever is, right? And the most important thing is that we go out there and try, together!"

" _I don't always know what to do…_ " Ash's words stoked the flames building inside her. " _But then, if I think about it, I'd rather do stuff! Because even if I goof up, I learn something! There's nothing we could ever do that's a waste of time!"_

"It's just like Ash said, way back then!" she reminded her team. "We might not know exactly how we're going to get better, but we can get better as long as we keep moving! Doing anything is fine, because we're creative enough that anything we could do can be useful!"

Her Pokémon all leapt at her, knocking her to the floor as they hugged and nuzzled on her. Serena put her arms around her team, feeling so joyful, even in the specter of her losses since she came to Hoenn. She hadn't lost any of her experiences that she'd had since she departed Kalos; in fact, they were continuing to spur her on and inspire her. She held her Pokémon close as she thought about what Ash had said to her that day;

" _You can't do anything by yourself. It's because you're with Pokémon who support you that really makes you do your best."_

"We're going to win next time, everyone! I'm sure of it!"

"Are you Serena from Vaniville Town?"

Suddenly, Serena was pulled out of her motivational moment and looked up to see Nurse Joy standing there, holding an envelope. She stood up, her Pokémon all standing next to her. "Uh, yes I am. What is it, Nurse Joy?"

Joy handed Serena the envelope. "This arrived here for you today! It's a letter, all the way from the Alola Region!"

"A letter?" Serena parroted, blinking. "Who do I know from Alola?" She took the envelope. "Uh, I mean, thank you very much, Nurse Joy!"

"It's no problem, Serena," she smiled back. "Have a good evening!"

As Nurse Joy walked away, Serena sat down on the bench, and all her Pokémon peering over her shoulder (or from her lap, in Pancham's case) as she opened the letter and read it.

 _Alola Serena! (They say Alola as a greeting here!)_

 _How's the Hoenn region? I hope you're on a ton of fun adventures out there! Have you caught any new Pokémon or made any new friends? I just know you're giving it your all and getting even stronger than you were in Kalos!_

 _I'm studying Pokémon in the Alola Region right now! They're amazing! I even caught an Alolan Pokémon already, called Rowlet! I've also made a bunch of new friends_ _here at the Pokémon School! I'm sure that with their help, I'll get stronger, too! We're both going to keep racing to our dreams!_

 _I wanted to say, though, that you're already really strong, even if you don't think so. Think about all the great stuff you've already done! I dunno if it's hard for you in Hoenn or not, but I know you'll use everything you learned on our journey together, and everything you're learning in Hoenn, and you won't let anything stop you! Not until it's over!_

 _I know we probably won't see each other again for a while, but maybe we can keep writing letters. I don't wanna lose track of you over time, especially since you promised me that we'd meet up again someday. I want you to know that._

 _Good luck, Serena! Go for broke!_

 _With love,_

 _Ash_

A blush crept onto Serena's face that only grew in size and intensity as she read on. It was the last words, especially, that caused her face to turn a deep shade of red.

His voice echoed in her head, too. _"I'll tell you one thing. I'll always be cheering you on and on."_ Those were the words he shared with her the day she decided to come to Hoenn. It was that encouragement to continue chasing her dream that brought her to the Hoenn Region to begin with, and here he was, cheering for her on and on, even from the faraway Alola Region.

She hugged the letter to her chest. "Oh, Ash…" she giggled, losing herself in her rapid heartbeat and the warm, fuzzy emotions that the Kantonese trainer always inspired in her. She stood once again, holding Pancham in one arm and the letter in the other. She turned to her Pokémon, her blush fading but the muse for training still burning hot.

"Who's ready for a little evening battle practice? I know I am!"

"Braixen!"

"Chamcham!"

"Veon!"

And with that, Serena and her Pokémon bolted for the battlefield outside.


End file.
